With all your heart, might, mind and strength

I have had a great deal on my plate lately, but it has all been very, very good.  I have learned incredible things about people who have sought the Lord, and not in vain.  I have a stronger desire in my heart than ever before to seek after these things.  These things, these gifts and profound blessings; they are truly all of good report and praiseworthy.

I have learned a thing or two by hanging around righteous people.  Their righteousness is not self attained.  No self-help seminar in the world will bring you to the place of righteousness. You really have to unburden yourself from the things that matter very little to gain the things that matter the most. You absolutely have to cast all your burdens upon the Lord to attain the greatest blessings from Jesus Christ.  He makes it not only quite easy, but absolutely available if we are of the desire to lay at his feet all that burdens us and seek for His help. And there is no doubt about it, you have to want whatever it is you want with all your heart, might, mind and strength.  Your desire for this blessing has to overcome your desire for all else.

How does one go about gathering up all their strength and provide the necessary focus to achieve what they want?

I have a dear friend who is a life coach.  She assists the people that come into her office to learn to study things out in their mind, and hopefully get them to develop the skill to connect those things that they think they want with their heart's approval.  It is absolutely astounding how powerful it is to get focused and stay focused on a desire. I have taken her class several times.  I keep coming back to the same place in my heart every time: it is a matter of intense prayer and supplication to the Lord regarding our desires so he knows we are serious.  We have to get focused.  Once we have proven ourselves through our dedication, the answers seem to manifest themselves.

How have I shown this dedication to reach my desires?  By fasting.  But how did I fast?  What are some of the other ways you can fast without going without food and water entirely?  And how can I know that my fast is acceptable to the Lord?

We go about like blind guides so often.  Go to the Lord and ask him to teach you how YOU would best be benefitted by a fast, and what kind and how long would He have you fast to attain the desire of your heart?

I have quite a number of friends that have received this personal and steady assistance on a day to day basis.  Some of them have been instructed to have a very small meal at the end of the day.  Others have done a juice fast, while others have taken to supply themselves with scripture that they feast upon all the day long, reflecting upon the greatness of Jesus Christ, while eating very sparingly, making eating more of a necessity by just a small meal than anything that clutters up their day and their mind.

It is difficult to focus.  Just ask anyone today.  It requires the ability to control your thoughts.  Even when you can control them, you still get distracted by habits of thinking, by distractions of every kind.  How distracted would you like to be when you sit down for an audience with Christ?

Imagine preparing for an audience with Christ himself.  What would you do?  Would you dress yourself in the nicest attire you had?  Would you be prepared to speak with him and discuss your deepest life experiences?  Would you be prepared to listen to Him as he asked you deep and probing questions?  Would you be pleased to be in his presence?  Would you sit at his feet and bathe them in your tears?  Would you petition Him for our great country and our continued freedom to worship as we please?  Would you beg him for your the preservation of your family, your health, or your very life if need be?

My experience with fasting is that it was not ever intended to inflict misery on a single soul, but to bring them into a state of joy.  We can experience this joy if we focus the act of fasting on a greater desire to be one with He whom this entire practice was designed.  If we want Christ more than we want air, more than anything else that this world could ever possible give us, then we will find that fasting will provide ample grounds for us to reach to him in all our extremities and find ourselves the benefactor of many great and marvelous blessings.  And in so doing, we will have revealed much to ourselves, we will become more tender hearted, we will learn truth about ourselves and have a connection with God which will provide for us a blessing which truly, we will not have the ability to contain.

I have read plenty of books on fasting, and they have encouraged me that there are great a wonderful results to be had from fasting.  Isaiah is by far the most eloquent of all those in the Old Testament that give a detailed description of the progressive blessings of fasting.  Just go to Isaiah 58 and start on verse 6.  There are 13 detailed blessings.

I salute you for pursuing this avenue.  I can promise from my own experience you will not be left wanting in the balance if you put all you have into learning how to fast the way the Lord would have you fast.  He is always one to keep his promises. and He absolutely knows us perfectly.